Electric-lamp socket



Dec. 9, 1930. y

H. HERTZBERG ELECTRIC LAMP SOCKET Filed Nov. 30, 1926 INVENTOR Har/y /if/zbe/g. 5 B" /L ATToRNEY Illlllllllll-llllll. l

Patented Dec. 9, 1930 Unirse STATES PATENT oFrlcE HARRY HERTZBERG, or BROOKLYN, Niiwyonx, AssreNon, BY MnsNr. ASSIGNMENTS, To `asi-m M. rnorr co. INC., or" New Yoan, N. Y., A conPoRarioN orNnW YORK ELECTRlC-LAMP SOCKET kApplication filed yNovember 30, 1926. Serial No. 151,629.

This invention relates to lamp sockets and 1s directed to a lamp socket of improved construction having incorporated inl .itsv

structure means for dimming .the light of a lamp connected therewith.

An object of the invention is to provide a lamp socket of the character described having av casing formed entirely of molded insulating. composition and constructed to peimit such arrangement and disposition therein of the parts of the dimming means and its control mechanism` as toprovide a simple and compact device of neat appearance.

Another object of the' invention is to generally improve the construction of lamp sockets of the character described to make for high economy in material and parts so as to facilitate large scalef'production and yet provide a compact, rugged structure which shall be relatively cheap to manufacture, and practical andedcient in operation Vto a high degree.

Other'objectsof this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out. v

rl`he invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arraugen'ient of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be' indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1. is a top plan View of the device embodying the invention, showing the plug cap portion removed. to expose the dimming means and its control mechanism.

.40 Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the improved device corresponding to a section taken along line 2--2 as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the plug cap portion of the socket. f Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on side of said cap portion.

line .4f-t in Fig. 1 showing the contact of the pimper with one end of the resistance unit.

...Figs 5 and 6 are. fragmentary cross-sectional views showing the jumpers in contact with the mid-portion and the other end of said .resistance unit respectively.

Fig. 7-is a perspective view ofcthe resistance element with the parts partially unfolded, and the resistance wire partially wound therein.

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of the improved dimming lamp socket.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 10 denotes a detachable type of dimming socket embodying the invention, the main elements of which are connected to and supported by a plug 11 made of suitable insulating mate-1 rial and provided with a central Contact 12. The contact 12 includes a screw 12, the shanlr of which extends axially through a central bore inwsaidplug, the head of the screw preferably being set into a washer-'12b which is set in a suitable recess 11a provided in the end of the plug 1l, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. A threaded brass shell 13 which forms the outer contact encloses the plug 11 and has lips 13@ projecting inwardly from the inner end thereof against the bottom of the plug. The plug 11 is mounted ycentrally toextend up from a 'cap portion 14 made of a suitable molded insulating compound, such as a phenol condensate compound, porcelain or the like material. Said plug is rigidly secured in position by the screw 12 which has its threaded end projected through the top of the cap portion 14 and into a recess 14a formed on the underis provided with a clamping nut 15.

f For connecting they plug contacts with the current carrying parts of the socket, a spring member 16 having one end thereof anchored to the threaded end of the screw 12a by means of the nut 15,provides one connecting contact,

Said screw end and an extension 13b on one of the lips 13't1 passing through the top of the cap and into said recess 14L provides the other connecting contact, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

rlhe cap portion 14 is demountably secured to a body portion 17, said body portion being likewise formed of a molded insulating compound similar to that of the cap portion. For holding said casing portions together to ferm a nonanetallic casing for the current carrying parts of the socket, the dimming means and its control, there is embedded in the top side of the body portion 17 a pluraliy of spaced threaded anchoring thimbles 18 which receive fastening screws 19 inserted from the top of the cap portion 14, as is cle; rly shown in Figs. l aud 2. r l`hefree or lower end of the body portion 17 forms a housing about a screw receptacle shell 2O which is adapted to connect with the base of a standard lamp (not shown). To retain said shell in its housing an inturned flange 20 is provided at the inner end of said shell. Said flange is perforated to receive screws 21 which may be inserted through the body portion 17 from the top side thereof. The screws 21 have a threaded engagement with a washer nut 22 which lies fiat against the shell flange 20, thus rigidly clamping the shell 20 to the body portion 17 (See Fig. 2.)

The shell 2O on its inner end, adjacent the flanges 20, has an opening sufficiently large to receive an integral boss 17 projecting centrally down from the body portion 17 into said shell 12 so as to form an insulated support for an inner spring central contact niember 28 for the lamp receptacle shell 20. For rigidly securing said Contact member 23 in place, there is provided an axial extending screw 24. The lower or head end 24u of the screw 24 serves to anchor one end of said contact member 23 to the boss 17, as shown in Fig. 2. The upper end of said screw 24 eX- tends beyond the top side of the body portion 17 and is provided with a spacing washer 25 and a collar nut 26 between which is pivotally mounted on said screw 24, a lever arm 27 of a dimming control mechanism.

The lever arm 27 is preferably made of insulating material, such as sheet {ibi-e or mica and has its actuating end 27a secured in any suitable manner to a pull-chain 28. As here shown, the chain 28 is adapted to ride in an areuately shaped groove 17h formed in the upper surface of the body portion, said groove extending concentrically with respect to the pivoting point about which said lever arm swings and terminating with diametrically opposed openings 17c through which the ends and B of the chain 28 pass, as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 8, respectively. The fastening ofthe lever arm 27 to the chain 2S may comprise a strap 29 having one end secured to said arm by means of eyelet rivets 30 and having the other end securely attached to the links of the chain in any suitable manner, as at 31. rllhe opposite or switch end of the lever may have securely mounted thereon a spring blade 32 by means of an eyelet rivet Said blade is secured by the collar nut 26 to connect with the central spring contact member 23 of the lamp receptacle through the screw 24. The switch blade 32 is adapted to contact with the heads 34", 35, 56a and 875L of the screws 34, 35, 36 and 37, respectively, said screws being arranged in concentric alignment with respect to the pivoting point about which said lever swings. Said screws preferably are secured in posi tion by engaging with anchoring thiinbles 3S embedded in the top side of the body portion 17. The screw heads 35, 36a and 37 serve as switch terminal contact posts for one end of each ofthe jumpers 39, 40 and 41, respectively, the other ends of said jumpers being positioned to contact with one end 42% a midportion 42h, and the other end 42C of resistance unit 42 respectively. Said resistance unit may be of any suitable construction but preferably comprises a resistance Wire 42 wound on a strip 42e of sheet mica, said strip being folded over on itself and having insulating strips 43 interposed between the adjacent folded portion, as shown in Fig. 7. After being thus folded, the unit 42 is formed into a compact body and fitted into a recessed pocket 17C formed in the top of the body portion 17 in spaced concentric alignment with said screws 34, 35, 3G and 37, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1. The ends of the umpers 39, 40 and 41 may connect with the unit in any suitable manner, preferably making a clamping contact with the resistance wires at 42", 42h, and 42C. To insure good contact between said jumpers and said unit, the latter is tightly wedged in the pocket 17", as is clearly shown in Figs. 4, 5 and (S. lVhe e the junipers 42 and 42 pass the resist-ance wires in the adjacent folded portions of the unit, insulating strips 44 may be provided. See Figs. 5

and 6.

As seen from Figs. 1 and 2, the heads 21L of the screws 21 preferably project above the top of th-e body portion 17 and serve as stops for limiting the swinging movement of the lever arm 27. One of said heads 21 is adapted to form a cont-act for detachably engaging with the end of the spring member 16 to electrically connect the central contact 1 2 with the lamp socket 20. Another detachal'ile connection is provided by anchoring a. spring member 45 to project upwardly from the screw head 37', 'said member beingl adapted to contact with the extension 18" for electrically connecting the shell contact 13 with the resistance unit 42.

From the foregoing description and draf\'vings, it is appar-ent that the parts of the device are readily assembled to facilitate large scale production and yet provide a compact,

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rugged structure which is relatively cheap to manufacture. lt should be noted that the cap portion 14e can be easily dismounted from the base portion to facilitate assembly of the socket l0, the circuit current carrying parts through said socket being detachably secured together to permit easy separation through the spring contact connection of the member l@ with the screw head 2l and the shell Contact extension 13b with the spring member The operation ot the dimming socket l0 will now be readily understood. l/Vith the parts assembled shown in the drawing, and plug contacts connecting with,asuitableelectric power source in the well understood manner, a pull exerted on the end A of the chain 28 (see Fig. l) will cause the lever arm 27 to swing into contact with the .screw head 37. The receptacle shell 20 will then be in direct connection with the plug contacts l2 so that lamp (not shown) connected in sai-d shell will receive full power from vthe supply source and will produce its maximum illumination. By releasing the chain end A and applying a slight pull on the other end B, the lever arm will swing the switch blade 32 into Contact with the screw head 36a. This operation of the dimming mechanism inserts a portion of the resistance of unit 42 in circuit between the plug contacts and the lamp receptacle and is effective to reduce the current lowing to the lamp, thereby causing a diminution ot the light emitted 'from the lamp in the socket receptacle. Swinging the lever arm 2'? so that the switch blade 32 contacts with the screw head 35a by further pulling the chain end B, cuts in the entire resistance oi unit fil-2 and 'further dims the light from the lamp in the receptacle socket. By pulling the chain end E to its maximum downward position, the lever arm 27 swings into contact with the screw head 34d opening the circuit to the socket l0 and cutting on" the power to the lamp receptacley thereby eXtinguishing the lamp. To relight the lamp and adjust the illumination, the chain end A is pulled for moving the lever arm 27 to vary the resistance in circuit with the lamp socket.

t will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted vto meet the conditions ot practical uso. v

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the'embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A dimming socket of the character described having a casing ol" insulating material molded with a socket portion having an end wall and a pocket in said wall, an adjustable resistance unit wedoingly 'fitted into ysaid pocket, control means tor varying the resistance of said unit inchlding a movable contact arm, spaced terminal switch contacts and jumpers, one end ot' each jumper being connected to a contact, the other ends or each of said jumpers clampingly engaging with said unit on wedging the latter in said pocket.

2. In a socket oi the character described7 a casing made entirely of insulating material, said casing being formed with a pocket, and

a dimming unit compri-sing a strip of insulat-` ing material and a resistance wire wound on said strip and jumpers connected to spaced contacts7 said unit being folded to form a compact body and wedged into said pocket whereby'the ends of the jumpers contacting with said wire are clampingly secured in position.

3. A dimming socket of the character described having a casing made entirely of insulating material, said casing being formed with a pocket, a resistance unit fitted into said pocket, said unit comprising a stripk vof contacts mounted on said wall, jumpers connecting said contacts with spaced points on said unit, a cap member removably secured to said casing lin overlying relation to said end wall, and a movable contact arm mounted on the underside of said cap and adapted to movably Contact said contacts.

5. A dimming socket of the character described comprising a casing of insulating material molded with a socket portion having an end wall and an arcuate pocket in said wall, an adjustable resistance unit frictionally fitted into said pocket, a plurality of contacts mounted on said wall., jumpers connecting said contacts with various points on said unit, a cap member removably sccured to said casing in overlying relationto said end wall, a movable contact mounted on the underside of said cap and adapted to movably contact said contacts, and plug secured to said cap on the outer side thereof, a shell fitted on said plug, said shell having a portion extending' through said cap for electrical Contact with one of said contacts.

6. A dimming socket of the character described having a casing of Linsulating mabillteiul molded with :L socket portion having an end Wall and an arcuate pocket in said Wall, and an adjustable resistance unit frictonally fitted into said pocket, said unit comprising a folded strip of insulating ma.- teral, a wire Wound on said strip and insulating material between adjacent folded portions of said Strip.

In testi nlony whereof I aHX my signature.

HARRY HERTZBER-G. 

